Sever the Bond
by Western White Tiger
Summary: Resurrection is nothing but a mere fantasy. Reality is cruel. The truth is something Kurome can never change, no matter how far she is willing to go. Amidst everything, just how long can the bond of blood last in the sea of corruption? One Shot based on episode 22. An alternative ending.


**Author's Notes : This One Shot is something I came up with while I was drafting the next chapter of Akame ga Kill: Fate's Second Chance. I admit that there is nothing innovative about the plot since the majority of this is based on episode 22 of the anime. Anyways, the ending is different and is mostly told from Kurome's perspective. **

**Feel free to tell me your thoughts and suggestions. Your feedback and reviews will most certainly help me with my future stories.**

 **In addition, please bear with me if I make any mistakes or errors, especially in terms of the language (spelling, grammar, etc.)**

 **All characters from Akame ga Kill that appear in this fanfic rightfully belong to Takahiro. I do not own anything in regards to their creation; I have Takahiro to thank for that.**

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 _Why?_

Everything ran at a funeral pace. Tatsumi and Wave stirred from her peripheral vision, approaching the centre of the clearing where she and her sibling were locked in a stalemate. Fear and astonishment were written all over their faces, though to Kurome, they mattered little. To her, they moved slower than snails, seemingly suspended in animation.

All around her, the world collapsed. The church building crumbled away and the forest trees withered into nothingness. The background faded into darkness. All that was left was the person in front of her, deprived of all color but red. The irrationality of the situation had caught her off guard and the unexpected turn of event was confronting beyond imagination.

Against all odds, it was Yatsufusa that had found flesh. The katana was buried deep, with only its black hilt visible from her angle. Just a single pull with her hand and it would be over instantly, her longtime dream no longer a mere fantasy. How she longed for the day that her beloved sibling would join her collection. Nonetheless, when the opportunity was finally presented, she found herself hesitating. Somehow, her emotions fought a dominating battle against her conscience. All the self-control she possessed, honed by years of training, dispersed in an instant, leaving her with heartrending memories.

 _Why?_

Kurome's mouth hung down in a silent question, her face more pale and transparent than the droplets of rain that slicked her dress. All traces of her coherence had vanished, and not a single syllable left her throat. Her larynx crumbled away to grief and she fought back the urge to weep. Her entire body trembled like a leaf in a storm and her brain jammed like broken clockwork. Devoid of her customary killing intent, she stretched her arms out on impulse and wrapped them around the frail form before her. She bit her bottom lip, savoring the little physical pain the action brought. _No_ , it wasn't meant to be like this; she was supposed to be the one who was held… the one who would accept this final embrace and move on to the next world.

 _Why?_

Numb fingers encircling around her sibling's waist, Kurome buried her head in Akame's shoulder, inhaling her inimitable fragrance that was sullied by the scent of blood. Her shoulder… it was the only safe place she could truly lean on. It was her habit back then, to find support and protection by leaning on Akame. Often, her younger self would snuggle up to her sibling's petite but warm frame, taking pleasure in sleeping on her personal headrest that surpassed what any pillow in world could offer. Akame would rest her arm around her, shielding her from any outside terror. During those moments, she was out of harm's way, freed from the danger that took the physique shape of Danger Beasts.

But now, Kurome couldn't appreciate the comfort any longer. Akame's shoulders were encumbered by the burden of atonement. There was no warmth to be felt, only coldness and emptiness resided. Her sister was no longer hers alone; Akame had devoted her existence to her proclaimed sense of right and wrong. It was all but bitter nonsense to Kurome. Despite their closeness, she couldn't fathom her sister's desire.

" _Why did you betray our squad? We could've stayed together!"_

" _I started to realize that what we were doing wasn't to keep the peace. It was all a lie. We were a special unit dedicated to executing any orders from the Capital. If the current Empire continues to exist, the citizens are doomed to suffer."_

What did Akame hope to accomplish? Corrupted or not, the Empire's shelter was the only thing Kurome knew. As an orphan, survival was extremely difficult, even before being enlisted as an assassin. Frankly, she was young, but she was no fool. Brought up by the Empire, her purpose was to take life. She had seen many inhumane activities and came to understand the darkness of this world. She also understood the futility in trying to change humanity. It was like trying to fly without the aid of any Danger Beasts or Teigu. The world certainly didn't revolve around her. She had to adapt to its conditions in order to survive. Therefore, what Akame was striving to achieve was nothing more than a delusion. Her sibling was smart; she should know this. So then, why did Akame insist on being stubborn? Why abandon her for the sake of clutching onto false hope?

At that thought, Kurome held back a wail.

 _Why?_

By some cruel twist of fate, the younger girl had cheated death. The cursed blade missed by a hair's breadth, and she was spared from the punctuate wound that would've caused her instant demise. Nonetheless, her heart somehow ached with each agonizing beat, exerting pain beyond proper description. The realization that Akame had deliberately missed her struck her harder than lightning.

The finale of their dual arrived earlier than Kurome had anticipated. Without her drugs, her reflex had slowed down considerably to give Akame the opening she needed. In a movement spurred from pure instinct, she retaliate a nanosecond too late with Yatsufusa. The outcome flashed before her eyes, all laid out before her like jigsaw pieces fitting together. Pain would come next, followed by Murasame's signature poison that sneaked towards her heart. Like a burglar at night, it came with a single purpose—to steal her life.

 _Why big sis?_

With the future seemingly premeditated, it had never crossed her mind that Akame would change the route of Murasame at the last moment. Kurome realized this a second too late, and she found Yatsufusa sank into skin.

 _Why big sis? Why did you miss?_

Her listless dark pools reflected anguish as she stared down at the most precious person in her life. Her sibling's crimson orbs were quenched of the usual light, signaling the end of her journey. She was departing from this world, and there was nothing Kurome could do to stop it. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't turn back the hands of time and rectify her mistake. It was too late… perhaps years too late.

"…Because you are my… my only sister." As if comprehending her unspoken inquiry, Akame whispered softly into her ear, exhaling a warm expulsion of air that caused Kurome's skin to tingle. Her sister's hot ragged breathing felt wrong. It was a plain contradiction to her cool and relaxing breaths. The younger girl wasn't used to this change at all.

' _Sis… I'd thought that everything would be fine if I killed you and added you into my collection. We would always be together… so then, why don't I feel happy? You are dying in front of me! Why do I want to cry?'_

For the first time since she could recall, Kurome felt regret gurgling within her, crawling into every cell of her being and tearing her apart from the inside. A streak of salty water ran down her face, somehow much colder and numbing than the rain. She was momentarily surprised by this sign of weakness and had difficulties recalling when she had last shed tears like this. There was a transitory image of the church, vacant...

' _That's right… the last time I felt this sad was when sis left to join Night Raid…'_

The tears flowed down freely after that recognition. She wept, letting her mental torments be acknowledged by the rest of the world. There were those who believed that crying made people feel better, but she couldn't disagree more. The more tears she shed, the more depressed she became. True, her sister would be able to join Yatsufusa's collection soon. It would be her retribution for all the murders she committed in her life. Nonetheless, Kurome found herself disgusted by her desire. She didn't want an unfeeling corpse that obeyed her every command. In fact, she found herself longing for a body who could offer limitless amiability and a sister who was capable of her own thoughts, to laugh and express emotions whenever she wanted.

"Sis, I…" She hated herself for choking on her words. There was so much she wanted to tell Akame but couldn't find the courage to do so. She wanted dearly to apologize and to express her grief. If only she knew that this was the outcome, then she would have aligned with Night Raid at first opportunity.

"Live on… don't regret." Wiping a tear off Kurome's face with what little strength she had left, Akame forced blood back into her throat and spoke softly. Her tone held no resentment, assuring Kurome that she didn't loathe her for this. Truthfully, she would have loved nothing more than to conclude her unfinished business with the corrupted Empire. But then again, that was probably asking for too much. When were killers like her permitted to choose the timing of their end? Besides, dying in the arms of her beloved sister didn't seem bad, even though she was being drowned in her tears. With a wistful smile, the last light within Akame's eyes shimmered before disappearing completely under her falling eyelids.

On that faithful night of bereavement, the notorious assassin feared by the Empire drew her last breath. Her worn out body slumped forward and crushed into her sister's embrace. However, at that same time, a part of Kurome perished with her sibling.

 _'I think I understand now, sis. About why you left...'_

As though suddenly possessed by an unknown enigma, her mentality was reinforced with a purpose. Her spiritless eyes traveled towards her sister's discarded weapon. Murasame, the katana of death, now seemed helpless as it rested half-buried in dirt and blood, abandoned by its owner who had lost her final battle against the eternal darkness.

Kurome's gaze then landed on her sister, cradled within her arms. She seemed awfully small in this position, the fragile shell of the once strong assassin. Yatsufusa was left impaled in her chest and Kurome made no movement to retrieve it or activate its ability. She had already dealt a permanent blow on Akame's spirit and body. To disgrace her sister's soul with her Teigu's ability was unthinkable. Akame deserved her rest, if nothing more.

Carrying the body bridled-style, Kurome approached Wave and Tatsumi. While she didn't look vivacious, she now held resolve within her carriage. Surprisingly, it seemed that her purposeful gait prevented Tatsumi from attacking. Kurome could discern the sadness and barely contained rage hidden within the assassin's stoic features. His initial intention was obvious. Tatsumi wanted to shred her into pieces, to wrench her arms away from Akame's body. Kurome responded to his hostility with an uninterested glance, an clear indication that she couldn't care less if he acted on his impulse. For some unknown reasons, that seemed to deter Tatsumi, for his body stiffened and his shoulders slumped.

"I don't have much time left." Surprising the two men, Kurome began in a detached tone. After all those emotional tears, she felt as though she was now incapable of any feelings. Her body was left without sensation, though that didn't bother her. She had only one goal in mind and it was something she should have done a long time ago.

She turned to Wave and gave him a genuine smile. "Thank you for coming. I wish we could've been closer in a different situation. Wave… I'm going to fulfill big sis' wish for her. Until I can join her in her sleep, I'm going fight against the Empire."

"Kurome…"

"You can come with me or try to stop me. However, I've made up my mind. Stubbornness was always sis's trait. Although I guess I'm similar in that aspect."

With a humorless smile that reminded Tatsumi so much of Akame, Kurome then turned her back towards him and Wave and disappeared into the shadows of the forest. She retreated into the darkness with no pursuers, with only Akame's cold corpse as her company.

' _How mournful… it took my sister's death for me to understand this. The Empire is the source of our tragedy, the root of all sadness. I'll see to it that destruction befalls the Empire, if only just for big sis' sake…'_

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 **"It would be nice if we could put away and throw out everything except what really mattered, but reality is just cruel."**

 **-Dearest (Inuyasha Ending 3)**


End file.
